European settlement has taken a major effect on Koala population, environment, and habitat. Since the Europeans arrived, approximately 80 percent of the Eucalyptus forests have been destroyed or uses for other things. The remaining 20 percent is not even protected. The small percentage is on private land. The koalas were, at that time, inhabiting the land that the Europeans wanted. So, unfortunately, the settlers won out over the koalas. They cleared out the land so they could settle. Dieback, defoliation, and natural causes were only a few of the other causes for the koala becoming endangered.

Solutions

Some possible solutions to this problem may include finding a new habitat for the koalas, or the people who are destroying "their" land should find a new place for their causes. There are some people who are working to improve the koala, and they are also trying to find them new habitats, or to cut back in the destruction responsible for the damage to their habitat. Some koalas have become sick or injured because of the problem, so Koala Protection Groups and Associations have been established to care for sick, injured, or orphaned koalas until they can be released into their original habitat. But, that is the reason they are searching for a new habitat because, even if a koala is nursed back to health after an injury, it will just be released into the same habitat it was hurt in. The cycle will continue and may never cease. If they are released into the wild after an injury, it is likely that the animal will become injured to a worse degree, and may very likely die. As well as having people who nurse the koalas back to health, they have designated koala carers who tend to koalas with broken legs, as well as koalas who were damaged at birth. There are many flaws in the koala habitat and environment, and these are just a few of the things being done to improve the conditions.